Control assembly for bathtub hydrotherapy unit

ABSTRACT

A water circulating pump supported within the bathtub, the pump having a discharge outlet which can be rotated to control the direction of discharge. The control of the direction is achieved by a manually rotatable sleeve located above the pump and surrounding a portion of the exterior casing for the unit. The sleeve is coupled with the pump housing by a hollow tube which encases a rotatable control shaft for a pump discharge flow control valve and also provides a conduit for induction of air into the discharge from the pump. A manual adjustment handle for the valve control shaft also provides a means of controlling the air flow.

United States Patent 11 1 McNair 51 Nov. 12, 1974 1 CONTROL ASSEMBLY FORBATHTUB 3,411,499 11/1968 Jacuzzi 128/66 HYDROTHERAPY UNIT 3,698.83210/1972 Price 415/148 Inventor: Samuel L. McNair, Overland Park,

Kans.

Assignee: Daley Products Co., Kansas City,

Filed: Aug. 22, 1973 Appl. No.: 390,384

US. Cl 4/180, 4/178, 128/66, 415/127 Int. Cl A47k 3/00, A61h 33/02, A6lh9/00 Field of Search 128/66; 415/148, 127; 4/180, 178

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 8/1918 Butler 415/148 2/1957Schroeter 12/1966 Bascomb 128/66 Primary Examiner-Carlton R. CroyleAssistant Examiner-L. .1. Casaregola Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Lowe,Kokjer. Kircher, Wharton & Bowman [57] ABSTRACT -A manual adjustmenthandle for the valve contro1 shaft also provides a means of controllingthe air flow.

3 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PAIENIEDIM 12 mm 3,846, 846' all! mu CONTROLASSEMBLY FOR BATI-ITUB HYDROTHERAPY UNIT BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THEINVENTION This invention relates to a portable water circulating unitthat can be used in a standard bathtub for therapeutic effects.

In order to be easily installed and operated in conventional bathtubs, aportable water circulating unit, sometimes called a whirlpool unit,should be light in weight, easily maneuverable, safe in operation andeasily adjustable, both as to the flow rate and the direction ofdischarge. The unit according to my invention meets all of theserequirements and is particularly characterized by a simple and safecontrol assembly relating to the control of the rate of discharge, thedirection of the discharge into the tub and the induction of air whendesired, into the discharged stream from the pump.

One of the principal objects of my invention is to provide a convenientand safe control assembly by which the direction of discharge of thecirculating pump, the flow rate and induction of air can be varied atwill without requiring the placing of the hand in the vicinity of thepump but instead, by placing it at a convenient location well above thepump and close to the surface of the water.

Another important object of the invention is to reduce as fast aspossible the number of components required to provide structural supportand operational effectiveness for the directional, flow rate and airinduction controls.

Other and further objects of the invention together with the features ofnovelty appurtenant thereto will appear in course of the followingdescription.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION In the accompanying drawings which form a part ofthe specification and are to be read in conjunction therewith and inwhich like reference numerals indicate like parts in the various views:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a preferred unit embodying theinvention mounted in operating position on a conventional bathtub;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary side elevational view, partly in section, of theinner section of the housing for the unit, showing the pump and thecontrol assembly;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view on an enlarged scale taken alongline 3-3 of FIG. 2 in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale taken along line 4-4 ofFIG. 2 in the direction of the arrows; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view on a still further enlarged scaleshowing the rotatable support components for the pump housing.

The preferred embodiment of the invention comprises a hollow casing, 10,in the shape of an inverted U which houses the operating elements of theunit. This casing 10, which may be made of a light weight plastic,consists of an upper portion 11 and lower portion 12 which are securedtogether by means of screws 13 (FIG. 2). The upper portion 11 contains ahandle 14 for lifting and maneuvering the unit as a whole. The lowerportion has a section 12a outside the tub and a section 12b inside thetub. The pump is indicated at 15, being at the lowerend of housingsection 12b. An electric motor (not shown) is located in section 120 andis used to transmit power to the pump in a manner similar to thatdescribed in US. Pat. No. 2,782,425.

The pump power is supplied through a drive shaft 16 which drives therotary impeller 17 which is located within the pump housing 18. Theimpeller 17 draws water in through the perforations of a perforatedplate 18a which is located on the underside of pump housing 18. Water isdischarged through the outlet 19, which is formed integral with the pumphousing 18.

The rotatable mounting of the pump housing 18 in relation to the casingsection 12b is shown in FIGS. 3 and 5. The drive shaft 16 for theimpeller is substantially centered in section 12b of the casing, and thelower end of the drive shaft is secured to the impeller .17. The lowerend of the section 12b has an integral,

inset depending collar member 21 having an inturned annular flange 21a.A flat ring 22 is located beneath the flange 21a and is secured theretoby means of screws 23, there being a small open space 24 between theflange 21a and the ring 22 (See FIG. 5).

The upper portion of the pump housing 18 is formed to provide anintegral flange 25, the underside of which is provided with annulargroove 26. The underlying ring member 22 contains a similar annulargroove 27. These circular grooves 26 and 27 are positioned one above theother such that a ring 28 made of a low friction material can be placedin the respective grooves 26 and 27, thereby supporting the pump housing17 upon the ring member 22 and permitting rotation of the pump housing18 relative to the sections 12b of the casing. The axial position ofpump housing 17 is stabilized by bearing contact between the inner edgeof the flange 25 and the outer surface of collar 21, and between anupstanding annular boss 25a and the adjoining surface of casing section12b.

The pump housing 18, can be rotated to channel the direction of flowfrom the discharge outlet 19 by means of rotating a sleeve 32 which isrotatably fitted onto the casing section 12b above the pump. The sleeve32 circumscribes the casing section 12b and includes an integral boss 33which is parallel with the sleeve axis through which there is acylindrical passage 34. A portion of a tube 35 is anchored within thepassage 34, the lower portion of the tube 33 extending into and beinganchored within a similar cylindrical passage 36 formed an upwardlyextending boss 37 integral with the pump housing 18 and discharge outlet19. When the sleeve 32, the upper portion 38 of which is provided withparallel ridges to facilitate obtaining a firm grip, is rotated, therotation is transmitted by the tube 33 to the pump housing 18 to rotateit in the same direction, thus to change the position of the dischargeoutlet 19. The tube 33 is anchored against rotation or vertical movementby a set screw 39 extending through the wall of the upwardly extendingboss 37 of the pump housing by a set screw 40 extending through the wallof the boss 37 on the sleeve.

Contained within the tube 35 is a shaft 41 which is generally centeredin the tube and free to rotate. The upper portion of the shaft 41contains threads 43 which mesh with the threads 44 of an internallythreaded member 45 that is secured to the top of the vertical tube 35.Secured to the top of the inner shaft 41 is a control handle 46. Thehandle rotatably circumscribes the tube 33. Thus when the control handle46 is rotated, the meshing of the two sets of threads 43 and 44 causesthe inner shaft 41 to move either up or down relative to the tube 35,depending on the direction of rotation of the control handle 46. Thevertical distance that the inner shaft 41 can be moved is restricted bythe number of threads 43 on the shaft so that when the threads 43 of theinner shaft 41 cease to mesh with the threads 33 of the internallythreaded member 45, the inner shaft 41 is unable to move any further inthat direction.

Contained within the discharge outlet 19 is an oval shaped, hinged valve47 supported by hinge pin 48 that extends through the sides of thedischarge outlet 19. When wateris discharged from theoutlet 19, thepressure of the water forces the front section of the valve to rise,thus opening the valve 47 and allowing the water to pass through it. Theinner shaft 41 is located such that its lower extremity is capable ofcoming into contact with and depressing the front section of the valve47. This downward contact pressure of the inner shaft 41 on the valve 47counteracts the water pressure and thus the valve 47 can be fullyclosed, partially closed, or fully opened, depending on the position ofthe inner shaft 41. In this manner the inner shaft 41 and valve 47 canbe used to control the rate of discharge of water into the tub.

A series of apertures 49 are arranged in a vertical row in one side ofthe control handle 46. There is also a cooperating air opening 50 in thetube 33. The apertures 49 in the control handle 46 can be aligned,partially aligned, or not aligned at all with the opening 50 in the tube33, depending on the rotational position of the handle 46, for anyvertically adjusted position of the control handle. The discharge ofwater through outlet 19 induces a negative pressure within the tube.When the apertures 49 in the handle are aligned with the opening 50, airenters the tube 33 through them and flows to the bottom of the tube,where it intermixes with the liquid flowing from the outlet 19. Byalignment or partial alignment of the air holes the amount of airintermixed with the liquid can be regulated.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that this invention is one welladapted to attain all of the ends and objects hereinabove set forthtogether with other advantages which are obvious and which are inherentto the structure.

It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are ofutility and may be employed without reference to other features andsubcombinations.

As many possible embodiments may be made of the invention withoutdeparting from the scope thereof, it is to be understood that all matterherein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to interpretedas illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim:

1. In an apparatus for circulating water in a tub, said apparatusincluding a centrifugal pump for immersion in the tub and a verticalcasing extending thereabove for housing the pump drive shaft, theimprovement comprising:

a centrifugal pump housing supported on the bottom end of said casingand rotatable relative thereto, said pump housing having an inlet and alateral discharge outlet.

a valve member mounted interiorly of said outlet for controlling flowtherethrough,

a sleeve circumscribing said casing above the pump housing and rotatablein relation to the casing, and

, rigid connecting means connecting the sleeve to the pump housing toeffect angular adjustment of said outlet in response to rotation of thesleeve, said rigid means including means for controlling the operationof said valve.

2. The improvement of claim 1, said rigid means including, a hollow tubeextending between said sleeve and housing, and

a shaft threadingly engaged within said tube and rotatable therein forvertical movement to operate said valve member.

3. The improvement as in claim 2, said tube communicating at its lowerend with the interior of said outlet, said tube having I air flowcontrol means at its upper end operable to control the ingress of air tothe tube and to effect rotation of said shaft.

Disclaimer and Dedication 3,846,848.-Samuel L. McNair, Overland Park,Kans. CONTROL ASSEMBLY FOR BATHTUB HYDROTHERAPY UNIT. Patent dated Nov.12, 1974. Disclaimer and Dedication filed Dec. 23, 1982, by theassignee,

Dazey Products Co. Hereby disclaims and dedicates to the Public theentire remaining term of said patent.

[Official Gazette March 15, 1983.]

1. In an apparatus for circulating water in a tub, said apparatusincluding a centrifugal pump for immersion in the tub and a verticalcasing extending thereabove for housing the pump drive shaft, theimprovement comprising: a centrifugal pump housing supported on thebottom end of said casing and rotatable relative thereto, said pumphousing having an inlet and a lateral discharge outlet. a valve membermounted interiorly of said outlet for controlling flow therethrough, asleeve circumscribing said casing above the pump housing and rotatablein relation to the casing, and rigid connecting means connecting thesleeve to the pump housing to effect angular adjustment of said outletin response to rotation of the sleeve, said rigid means including meansfor controlling the operation of said valve.
 2. The improvement of claim1, said rigid means including, a hollow tube extending between saidsleeve and housing, and a shaft threadingly engaged within said tube androtatable therein for vertical movement to operate said valve member. 3.The improvement as in claim 2, said tube communicating at its lower endwith the interior of said outlet, said tube having air flow controlmeans at its uPper end operable to control the ingress of air to thetube and to effect rotation of said shaft.